Little Girl, Big Splash
by TheDoctorAndSarah
Summary: It's Sarah Jane's seventh birthday. Time for the Doctor's semi-annual visit, and a trip she'll never forget. (Sequel to "Little Girl, Big Wish") ** COMPLETE**
1. Chapter 1

**URGENT NOTE:** As you may know, the BBC starts shooting the 50th anniversary special this week. If you'd like to see a proper tribute to Sarah Jane in the special, please consider signing the petition at www dot ipetitions dot com / petition/sarah-jane-smith-dr-who-tribute (automatic link removed because we don't want to break any rules) and passing it on to any groups you belong to. If we all pass it on, we can make a difference! Time (ironically) is of the essence! Thanks!

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(Cover photo by **SCA Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget**)

First off, for those who are wondering, we are STILL working on the sequel to "Five Doctors and a Baby", but between real life and the fact that it's a bit... complicated, it's just taking a bit longer than we expected. So we thought we'd take a little break and write this little bit of fun.

For those who haven't been with it from the beginning of the series with "Little Girl, Big Magic," the Tenth Doctor was inexplicably brought by the TARDIS to the scene of the death of Sarah Jane's parents, where he rescued her from the burning car. (Not supposed to happen that way, you say? Hmmmmm.) He promised to come back and see her on her birthday. He's already been back for her sixth ("Little Girl, Big Trouble") and for the following Christmas ("Little Girl, Big Wish") and now...

**South Croyden, 1958**

The Doctor brought the TARDIS to a halt down the street from Sarah Jane's house on Hillview Road. Checking his instruments, he confirmed that it was May 16, 1958; Sarah Jane would be seven today. Time for a birthday trip.

Plans running through his mind, he almost scampered down the street, knocking on the door of number 12.

Lavinia Smith opened the door and smiled warmly at him. "I expected you'd be popping up today," she said, as though it were perfectly normal for him to appear on her doorstep every half year or so. She turned her head and called over her shoulder. "Sarah Jane, my dear, you have a visitor."

Sarah Jane came bounding down the steps and past her Aunt, leaping into the Doctor's arms. "I've been waiting all morning for you, and it's half past eight already," she exclaimed as she smothered his face with kisses.

He hugged her and smiled. This was one place, at least, where he didn't have to worry about the warmth of his reception. "Hello, Lavinia," he said, then turned to Sarah Jane. "And how's the birthday girl?"

"Wonderful, especially now that you're here." She looked up at him as coyly as only a seven year can look. "Can you stay all day?"

"Actually," he said, looking slyly back at her, "I was wondering if we might go out." He looked at Lavinia. "What do you say, Lavinia, do you mind if I take the birthday girl on a little trip?"

She looked askance at him. "By yourself?"

He nodded. "You needn't worry," he said.

She stared at him for a moment. "If it was anyone but you, Doctor, I wouldn't consider allowing it. However, you've become like family to us these last few years and since you've saved Sarah Jane's life twice now, well, frankly I don't see how I can refuse. How long would you be gone? I do have a little party planned for her later this afternoon. Of course, we'd love it if you could be there too."

"Oh, we'll be back in plenty of time," he said. "We'll just be gone a few hours. Have her back for lunch, if you like."

"That sounds lovely, Doctor. I'll make something special for us while the two of you are gone." She stroked Sarah Jane's head. "Now then, what does our little birthday girl need for this trip and how should she dress for it?"

He thought about what to say, but he didn't want to ruin the surprise, so he just smiled. "She doesn't need a thing, we'll have everything we need when we get there."

Sarah Jane looked up at the Doctor, bursting with excitement. "When can we go?"

"Right now, if it's all right with your aunt."

Lavinia nodded her approval. "Mind you, please be sure to get back in time."

"Scout's honor," he said, offering her a salute. He turned to Sarah. "Ready?"

"Yes, oh yes, please." Sarah nodded her head so enthusiastically she looked like a bobble head doll.

"Well, let's go then." They headed down the street, and after checking to make sure Lavinia wasn't watching, into the TARDIS. He set her down. "First off, happy birthday."

"Thank you," she said politely. "Where are we going?"

"Sea World," he said, smiling.

"See World?" She started walking about the control room, her hand lightly touching the walls. "What are we going to see?"

"Not s-e-e," he said, "but s-e-a. It's a world that's all sea. And there's lots of rides there, and pools, and …" He looked at her seriously. "Can you swim?"

"No, I haven't learned yet, but Auntie says maybe I can take lessons this summer."

He thought for a moment. "No matter," he said. "It'll be fine."

"I've learned lots of other things since the last time you came for a visit," she continued. "I can read and write now, even in cursive." She beamed proudly at him. "Watch me." She proceeded to read everything in sight. "Twist three times then pull down the lever and..."

When she still hadn't tired (or run out of things to read) in eight and a half minutes, the Doctor scooped her up in his arms. "I'm very proud of you, being such a big girl, and so smart! Now, how about we head off?"

"Can I sit on your shoulders while you drive?" She paused a moment. "Should I have said fly instead of drive?"

"You can call it whatever you like," he said, picking her up and setting her on his shoulders.

She gave his head a hug then laid her head on his. "But which one is right?"

He smiled. "You like to have the correct word, don't you?" he said, enjoying the feeling of her head against his.

"Uhm hum. It's important to be right isn't it? Auntie says it is. She says being wrong can cause all sorts of problems, so you need to be sure about things." She sat up and started playing with his hair while she watched him push buttons and turn knobs. "Do you make sure you get everything right the first time?"

The Doctor tried not to snort. He almost succeeded, too. "No, I don't, because I prefer a little adventure. And believe me, Sarah Jane Smith," he said, "so do you."

"If you say so then I believe you." She paused again. "This is a big problem," she frowned.

Although he couldn't see her, he frowned too. "What's a big problem? Which word to use?"

"No, you say you don't try to get everything right and I don't too. But Auntie says I should." She drummed her fingers on his head. "What should I do?"

Now he smiled. "You should do what your Aunt says," he replied, knowing full well that it wouldn't make a bit of difference.

Sarah was smiling now. "That fixes everything. That's one of the reasons I love you so much, you always make everything better." She hugged his head once more.

It really only should have taken a few seconds to set the coordinates, but he wasn't in a hurry. Like every visit with young Sarah, he wanted to savor every second. That was why he kept coming back; he wanted to wring every moment of being with her that he could out of the universe. Eventually, though, he couldn't dawdle anymore, and the TARDIS dematerialized, materializing with a familiar thud again just a few seconds later. "Ready?"

Her eyes lit up, her smile showing just how eager she was. "Ready, willing and able."

The Doctor didn't say anything, but he thought about her choice of words. So adult - and it wasn't just that she was smart. She was, of course, but it was so much more than that. What must it have been like for her to grow up with Lavinia, the dedicated scientist? There was no baby-talk here, no coddling. Sarah was barely a child. Oh, she was loved; that was not in doubt. But how much of a childhood was she actually having? That was something that he'd truly loved about their time together during his third and fourth incarnations. They'd been like children together. So many times in the past century or so he had longed for that.

So he was glad that he'd chosen this particular venue for her birthday. Sure, this life is what made her what she was - but that didn't mean she didn't deserve a little girl's day out once in a while.

He spread wide the TARDIS doors and set her down so she could take it in.

Her eyes scanned what was before her and her mouth opened in surprise and pure joy. She gasped at it for a few moments, taking in everything around her. People of all ages, sizes and species were waiting in line in front of long, clear tubes. Inside each tube was a colorful fish-like attendant, with a steady stream of water flowing over him or her. She could see part of the way down the tubes, which seemed to be a sort of water slide that led downward, but she couldn't tell how far down they went or where they led to. Overall, there seemed to be a tremendous air of excitement and happiness involved with them. She was eager to learn first-hand what they were anticipating would happen when they went down those tubes.

She looked at the Doctor's face and saw he was watching her. His eyes told her they were going to have a tremendous amount of fun. She tried hard not to appear over-anxious but as well behaved as she could be; she remembered how upset he got after she disappeared into his pocket on Secaro.

The Doctor watched the progression of emotions on her face go from amazed to excited to apprehensive. He knelt down in front of her. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said quietly.

He leaned his head down and looked up at her, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm just trying to remember to be as good as I can be. I don't want you to get worried like you did last time when I fell into your pocket by accident."

"Well, this time if I can't find you, that's the first place I'm going to look," he laughed. "But it's going to be just fine, you'll see." He scooped her up and put her on his shoulder. "We're going to have lots of fun." He strode over to the set of tubes, then looked around and headed for one with more humanoid guests in line. "Air breathers, right?" he asked the attendant.

"Absolutely correct. Ages and species please," he asked as he smiled at them.


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm seven. Today is my birthday," Sarah smiled.

"Is it really?" the attendant asked, as though she had just revealed the 9th wonder of the universe. "Well then, you need to be treated like a birthday girl. Since it's your birthday, you are officially our special guest. Here's a birthday badge so everybody will be extra nice to you, and here's a birthday certificate. This will get you a free meal and dessert at any place to eat on the whole planet." He handed her the certificate.

"Thank you very much, sir," said Sarah.

"Such a polite little girl." He looked over at the Doctor. "Now if you'll give me your age, sir, and tell me what species you and the birthday girl are, I can process you so you can head on down to the planet and start celebrating."

"She's human, I'm a Time Lord." He waited for the attendant to process the information so they could get started on the water tubes.

"My, that is unusual. I've never seen a Time Lord here before." He punched the information into a handheld device then looked back at the Doctor. "I know the child's age, so can I have your age please, sir?"

"906."

The manfish entered the Doctor's age and handed him a bill.

Sarah watched quietly while the Doctor paid it.

"Here you go," the attendant said as he handed the Doctor a set of papers. "This is all our information on the planet and it's entertainments. Don't worry about getting it wet, it's waterproof. Your ages have been entered in, along with your species. You'll find some sections marked in blue; those are the ones for air breathers. Try not to wander outside of those areas, we certainly don't want you in over your head," he smiled, as though the joke were fresh, and not something he said thousands of times a day. "We've recorded your ages, so there won't be any mix ups at the 'Let's be friends' chute. Enjoy your visit, and have a nice birthday, little girl," he called out as he pointed out the chute for them.

Sarah waited until they were out of hearing range, then looked up at the Doctor in astonishment. "How old did you tell that man you were," she whispered.

"906," he whispered back.

Her eyes grew huge. "Are you really?"

He nodded, smiling. "Yes, I am. Time Lords get to be very old."

"But you don't look very old and you're not wrinkly and you don't have spots on your hands like Mr. Corwin down the street from my house. You don't walk real slow or act really old or anything."

"That's because I'm a Time Lord, and Time Lords..." He struggled with how to explain regeneration to her. "Well, Time Lords get to start over periodically, and I just started over pretty recently."

She eyed him closely. "I think it's because you're magic and age doesn't matter much to you." She thought for a minute. "Can you make me grow up faster?"

He picked her up so that her face was even with his. "Now why," he said, completely seriously, "would you want to do something silly like that? Being little is the best."

She sighed. "Not if you're in a hurry to get married it's not." Realizing the answer would be 'no', she changed the subject. "What do we do now?"

The Doctor hadn't forgotten that she'd set her sights on marrying him when she was five - but he'd been hoping that she had. Clearly she hadn't, and a little part of him felt it was a shame; she should be able to enjoy being a child without constantly trying to grow up too fast. She'd even mentioned to him once that she hadn't had much of a childhood, and that was a shame.

Still, he was just grateful that she was distracted, and they headed for the slide. He sat down at the top, the water flowing around him, and motioned for her to sit on his lap. Without a second thought or question, she did, just as she would later follow him unquestioningly as an adult. "Ready, set, go," he said.

Sarah looked at him and then their clothes. "We're going to get very wet," she laughed as they started sliding downwards at a good clip.

The Doctor laughed too. "What's wrong with that?" he shouted as they picked up speed. He could feel the water pelting him in the face, when suddenly he felt his suit changing. He didn't have much time to think about it, however, because suddenly the spray stopped and they dropped into a pool of water. As he held Sarah Jane so she wouldn't go under, he realized that her little pink outfit was now a pink bathing dress, complete with floatation system. Moreover, his own suit had morphed into a Victorian bathing costume as well, with sleeves down to his elbows and a pair of trunks that went down to his knees. Of course, no amount of built-in floatation would make him buoyant, but the water was only up to his waist.

"What happened to my dress," Sarah Jane laughed. "It turned into a swimsuit."

"I told you we'd have everything we needed when we got here," the Doctor laughed with her. "If you think that's funny, look at my suit!"

Sarah Jane looked at him and started giggling hard. She pointed at his suit.. "Your stripes are sideways!"

It was true; where he had been wearing a pinstripe suit, he was now wearing a navy blue bathing costume, with the stripes running horizontally, like on the old suits. "Well then," he said, "what shall we do next?"

"Can we go back and come down again? That was fun."

"We can if you want, but there are lots of other slides, don't you want to try more?" He held out the map to her. "What looks good to you, birthday girl?"

"This one." she pointed to the slide they just came down. "Again, please?"

"OK, OK," he said, bowing to her enthusiasm. He looked around and found the elevator back up to the top, then guided her back to the top of the slide. He looked apologetically at the attendant.

The attendant gave him a puzzled look. "Are you leaving so soon? Was anything wrong?"

"No, no," the Doctor said. "We'd like to go again." He motioned towards Sarah Jane, who was looking hopefully at the attendant and practically bouncing up and down.

"But you just went," he said. Then he shrugged, punched in their information for a second time and handed the Doctor the bill.

The Doctor panicked for a moment then realized that the morphing of his suit had left his temporal pockets intact, so he pulled out several more pieces of currency and handed them to the attendant, then motioned for Sarah Jane to go on in front of him, since he knew she'd float at the bottom.

She shook her head. "I want to sit on you lap so we can go together. It's more fun that way."

"All right, then," he said, and once again sat at the top of the slide, setting her on his lap and pushing off. Again he felt the spray hitting his face, only this time he could hear her squealing with joy as they plummeted down the slick surface, finally splashing down.

"Again please, oh, again, again. Can we please do this one again?" Sarah looked at him with pleading eyes.

So they headed, still dripping wet, back to the elevator, and back to the top. Again, the Doctor approached the attendant. "The lady would like to go again," he said.

The attendant rolled all six of his eyes and shook his head as he handed the Doctor another bill. Handing him the receipt when he paid, he waved his fin towards the slide.

The Doctor sat down and Sarah Jane sat on his lap. "Alonsy!" she shouted.

If he was taken aback at her adoption of his catchphrase, he didn't have time to show it as they once again plummeted down the tunnel, this time with her hands above her head as though she were on a giant watery roller coaster, dropping almost straight down and finally into the pool at the bottom once more.

She didn't say a word to him when they reached the bottom. Instead she half pouted half pleaded with her eyes as she gazed hopefully up at his.

He rolled his eyes and trudged toward the elevator, leaving a trail of small puddles behind him, trusting her to follow him. "If this wasn't your birthday..." he muttered.

She said nothing but smiled at him with adoration as she caught up with him and took his hand.

He also said nothing and simply smiled. He'd do this all day and the next and the next, if it made her this happy. Again he approached the attendant, already shoving his hand in his pocket and wondering just how much of the local currency he'd brought with him.

The attendant smiled at him and shook his head. "No, no more money, this is on me." He handed him two waterproof lifetime guest passes. He bent down and patted Sarah Jane's head with his fin. "Have as much fun as you want little one. You're only seven once in your lifetime."

"Oh, thank you so much sir. That's awfully kind of you." She smiled at him and then up at the Doctor. "He's very nice, isn't he?"

"Yes, he's very nice," he said, smiling gratefully. He looked at the smile on her face for a moment; what he wouldn't give to just freeze that in his mind forever. The TARDIS kept records of everything he did, but there was nothing like the original. Finally, he climbed back into the tube and waited for her.

Since the Doctor was already sitting down, Sarah quickly climbed up on his shoulders. From there she could now reach the top of the tube. She didn't wait for him to react, instead with her two small hands she propelled them both downwards. Screaming with delight she clung to his head as they headed to the bottom at an accelerating pace.

The attendant laughed as he watched them. One more trip would have paid for the cost of a lifetime membership anyway and after all, it was the child's birthday.

The Doctor gave up trying to slow them down on the practically frictionless surface and instead held on to Sarah Jane's hands - partly to keep her from flying off his shoulders, and partly so he could part them enough to at least try to see where they were going. Still, when they hit the water at the bottom, it was almost with a thud, and he found himself pushed underwater slightly by the fact that she was on his shoulders. He climbed out from underneath and stood, sputtering. "Well, THAT was fun."

"It was, wasn't it," said Sarah Jane, laughing and giggling at the sight of the Doctor standing there totally drenched.

They went down the main tube six more times before Sarah was ready to try something else. By that time, the Doctor was sure he was permanently waterlogged. He pulled out the list he had gotten from the attendant and looked it over to see if he could find something a bit drier than a water slide. "How about the tube tour," he suggested. "You get to see all the different creatures that live on this planet. Sounds like fun to me."

Sarah agreed and they headed over to the tube, following the directions on the list. As they walked, they left a dripping trail of water behind them, and by the time they got to the tube, they were almost dry. A jet of warm air flowed over them as they walked through the tube. Suddenly they were dressed in the clothes they came in.

"It's magic, just like yours," she said as she looked over and saw he was dressed again in his pin-striped suit.

"That's right," he said, wondering when she'd lose that automatic assumption that things were magic. She was seven now, and smart as a whip. Certainly it couldn't last much longer.

Sarah delighted in all the types of fish and underwater life she saw. She asked so many questions about them that when they reached the end of the tube, the Doctor thought the water slides might not be such a bad idea after all. As they reached the end of the tube, he led her to some benches so they could sit down while he studied the guide and they decided where to go next.

"Hmm," he said. "Not sure what this is all about, but it sounds worth checking out. What do you say to trying 'Let's be friends?'"

"We're already friends, but it does sound nice." Just then her stomach growled. "Oh my, excuse me please," she said as her stomach made another deep growl.

"Well," he said, "You sound hungry, let me just see what's available around here. What do you feel like?"

Sarah Jane motioned to the Doctor to come closer so she could whisper in his ear.

He leaned over to hear her. "Yes?"

"Fish," she said softly, then giggled.

"Sarah Jane!" he scolded, but started to giggle himself. "How would you like it," he started, leaning forward and whispering in her ear, "if some of these people wanted to have human for lunch?"

Her eyes got big. "Do they do that here?"

"Maybe," he said honestly. "Wellll, not at the resort, but maybe some of the guests."

"Is there a restaurant here that cooks people?" Sarah Jane was genuinely concerned now.

He hesitated, then smiled. "No. There aren't any restaurants here that cook humans. But it's not so funny when you're on the menu, is it?"

Sarah's stomach began growling once more. "No it's not," she said shaking her head. "Can we eat someplace that's just for people like us, please?"

He nodded. "Yes, we can," he said, and sat her down at a picnic table. "You wait right here, I'll get a menu." With that he went up to the counter, watching her all the time as she looked around in freshly stoked awe. Then he returned, sat across from her, and handed her a menu. "You just look at all of these pictures and push the button for what you want."

Sarah Jane soon forgot her fears as she looked over the menu, her stomach demanding all of her attention for the moment. She saw something that looked like a sandwich and some chips. She pointed to it. "Do you know if this is a sandwich and if it is, what kind it is?"

The Doctor looked closely at it, then furrowed his brow. He pulled out a pair of spectacles and put them on, then looked again. Then he took them off, put them in his pocket, and sighed, pinching his eyes together. "It's fish."


	3. Chapter 3

Sarah almost fell off of her chair laughing. "It's fish and chips with bread," she said, choking out the words. She put the menu on the table and pressed down on the picture. "I'm having this," she said, still laughing. "I hope they have malt vinegar to go with it."

The Doctor shook his head at the irony of a piscean species offering fish, but then after all, big fish eat littler fish, so why not? Still, it reminded him of the "Dish of the Day" at Milliways. That always creeped him out for some reason that he just couldn't put his finger on. He closed his eyes and picked something off the menu at random, then waited for the food to arrive.

When it did arrive, Sarah Jane was pleased to see not only malt vinegar with it, but some sort of custard dish on the side as well. "Mmmm, this looks scrummy," she said, waiting for the Doctor's food to arrive before she ate anything.

"It does look scrummy," he said, stealing one of her chips.

They decided to share each others' meals and make a feast of it. After Sarah had finished about two thirds of her food, she looked at the Doctor with a wicked grin. "Want to hear a joke that Jeremy Eckhart told everybody in the lunchroom last week?"

"Sure," the Doctor said, "let's hear a joke that Jeremy Eckhart told everybody in the lunchroom last week."

"Have you ever heard of the See Food Diet? I'm on it," she said and took a big bite of her sandwich.

The Doctor tried not to look around too obviously to see if anyone had heard her. "Sarah Jane..." he started. But she looked determined, so he decided to get this over with as quickly and quietly as he could. "No, I haven't."

She opened her mouth as widely as she could, her unswallowed food showing as she watched the Doctor for his reaction.

The Doctor stared at her quizzically. "Sarah, close your mouth, what are you doing?"

She closed her mouth and laughed. "See, food," she said with her mouth still full, and then opened it again. "Get it?"

The Doctor groaned, holding his stomach. He wasn't sure whether he was groaning at the joke, or the fact that a seven-year-old had to explain it to him.

Before the Doctor or Sarah Jane could say anything else, a tray with a small but beautifully decorated cake floated over and landed on the table.

Sarah Jane squealed with delight. "Oh Doctor, it's lovely, where did it come from? I didn't see it on the menu, did you?"

The Doctor smiled. "No, I didn't see a cake on the menu." A few moments later, wait staff started to swirl towards them, each emitting a distinct tone that, when combined with the others, made some of the most beautiful music he had ever heard. Before long half the staff were flipping around, dancing, and all around them was an impromptu floor show that was clearly just for Sarah Jane's benefit. Finally they concluded with a unanimous "Happy Birthday, Miss 7!" and slowly melted back away to their stations as though nothing had happened.

Sarah Jane was thrilled by it all. When it was done she ran over to the Doctor and threw her arms around him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you Doctor, you're the best prince ever!"

He hugged her, enjoying her seven-ness, wishing that he was a child again, just so that he could enjoy that with her. "I love you too, sweetheart." He set her down. "Now eat your cake, we've got more slides to enjoy." The Doctor watched her eating her cake, taking a few bites with her. He wondered if the reason he was enjoying her childhood so much wasn't because he really hadn't had much of a childhood himself. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed a handful of cake with his fingers and shoved it in his mouth, staring at her with a dare in his eyes.

Sarah gave him a wicked smile and grabbed a handful of cake in answer to his challenge. She popped the cake into her mouth, not caring that she got quite a bit of it on her face. "When I'm with you I don't have to worry about my deportment," she said, eating contentedly. "But you won't tell anyone if I don't act young lady like sometimes will you?"

"I won't if you won't," he said, grabbing another fistful of cake and shoving it into his own mouth, glad to give her some more time to just be a silly little girl.

He and Sarah happily devoured the cake. In a matter of minutes it was nothing but a few crumbs on the plate and a happy memory.

Sarah Jane licked some frosting from the side of her mouth and looked over at him. "Where are we going next?"

"I believe," he said, consulting the map, "that we were on our way to 'Let's be friends'." He held out his hand. "Shall we?"

She slid off her chair and slipped her hand into his. "What kind of ride is it," she asked skipping as the Doctor walked by her side.

"It looks like another water slide," he said, "but much bigger and twisty turny-er. What do you say? You liked that first one so much, you should love this one."

"Sounds like fun. I want to slide down on my tummy this time," she said, trying to think of unusual ways they could go down the tube.

"All right," he said, "you do that, and I'll be right behind you." They made their way over to the next slide, the Doctor noting idly how few adults were in this part of the park, instead being greatly outnumbered by children climbing the steps back up to the top of the slide. He helped Sarah climb into the top of the tube, and watched her go. Giving her a few seconds head start so he wouldn't smash into her, he decided to follow her lead and dove into the tube head first, marveling at the feeling of flying as he enjoyed the centripetal forces on every curve, every loop. He could hear himself whooping it up as he finally splashed down at the bottom thinking that maybe this time it would be him that wanted another go.

Sarah Jane stood waiting for the Doctor to come down the slide. She was surprised to see a little boy in a swimsuit come whooping down the slide, almost crashing into her. She walked past him quickly and listened to see if she could hear the Doctor coming down the slide. She waited a few moments, then walked away and sat down to wait until the Doctor appeared. She tried hard not to be upset, but she was confused and getting worried. She put her head in her hands, tears falling slowly down her cheeks.

The Doctor got his bearings and saw her sit down and cry. He hurried over to her and sat down beside her, as confused as she was. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"My Prince is gone and I'm lost without him." She looked up at him tears running down her cheeks. "Did you see a very tall thin man in a striped suit and tennis shoes before you came down the slide? He was supposed to come down right after me, but he didn't," she sniffed.

"Sarah Jane, what are you talking about, I'm right here," the Doctor said, turning her face up to look at him. "It's alright, don't cry."

Sarah Jane pulled back. "You're not the Doctor, you're just a little boy."

The Doctor looked down at himself and realized that she was right. He **was** a little boy. "Oh, my," he said. He looked around. Down here, at the bottom of the slide, there were no adults at all. Instead, he saw pairs of same-aged children and realized what this slide did. The attendant's words about recording their ages on their arrival came back to him. "Sarah Jane, I promise you, I am the Doctor, it's just that this slide turns a grown-up into a child, so they can be friends. That's why it's called 'Let's be friends'. And look, there's a playground and everything," he said, trying to sound as excited as he could.

Sarah Jane stopped sniffling and looked at him closely. He did look a bit like the Doctor and his swimsuit was a smaller version of the one the Doctor had had on when they went on the other slide. "It's really you, promise?"

"I promise," he said. "Here, look." He reached into his pocket, sticking his arm as far down as he could to show her that the pocket was bigger on the inside.

Her eyes lit up as she saw and believed him. She gave him a hug. "You're my size." she laughed. "Well, you're taller and you look a little older than me, but not much. Do you like it?"

"I dunno, I'll have to try it," he said. "Race you to the swings!" he shouted, taking off towards the playground.


	4. Chapter 4

Sarah Jane took off after him laughing and running as fast as she could. When they got to the swings she climbed onto one and turned around to him. "Will you give me a push please before you get on?"

"Sure," he said, and pushed her a couple of times to get her going, then jumped on the swing next to her and pushed off, trying to swing as high as he could. "Bet I can swing higher than you," he said.

"Bet you can't," she answered him, then began pumping her legs to go higher. After a few minutes she looked over and saw that he was going way higher than her. His long legs and strength gave him far more leverage than Sarah Jane. She looked down and realized that she was way higher than she thought and though she would never admit it to anyone, she was a bit afraid of the height she was at. But she didn't say anything, and kept pumping. She was not going to let this young Doctor tease her or say he was winning because he was a boy. She got enough of that from the boys at school.

The Doctor spent a few minutes just enjoying the sensations, wondering if he'd be able to actually propel the swing over the top of the bar. Might be dangerous. Even better, he thought, and pumped harder. Then he got past the 90 degree mark and started dropping vertically on each swing, causing a large "thump" to the swingset itself, and started to reconsider.

Sarah wasn't sure if she was more frightened for the Doctor or herself. Before she could say anything though, an attendant showed up and gently took charge.

"I'm sorry young man, but you're swinging too high, I'll have to ask you to slow down please," she said as she stood next to him and waited. She was obviously an attendant.

The Doctor put his feet to the ground to slowly stop himself and put his head down. "Yes, ma'am," he said.

Sarah jumped off the swing with relief as soon as she slowed down. When she saw how disappointed the Doctor was, she ran to his side and put a hand on each of his shoulders. "You won," she whispered in his ear.

He looked up at her shyly. "You mean it?"

She nodded. "You went way higher then me. My legs were too short to beat you," she whispered again.

He put his head up and beamed at her. "That's OK, you'd have beat me if I was shorter. Come on, let's find something else cool to do."

The two of them ran eagerly around for the next two hours exploring the rides and games, stopping to try each one. Sarah Jane won almost as many times as the Doctor did.

They were taking a break and catching their breath when Sarah looked over at him and realized that even though he was almost the same age as her there was still something special about him. "Do you know what I like the most about you," she asked him.

He rolled up on one elbow from lying on the grass and looked at her. "What's that?"

She propped herself on one elbow in imitation of him. "You don't mind if I like the same games that you do and you're nice to me even if I win sometimes. The boys I go to school with are always teasing me because I like their games better than the ones the girls play. I'm always getting called a tomboy," she frowned. "I think girls should be able to do anything boys can, do you?"

"Of course!" the Doctor said without even thinking. "You know what I like about being with you?"

She smiled at him. "No, what?"

"I don't have to win all the time. The boys I went to school with always felt like winning wasn't just everything, it was the only thing." He smiled. "I like that I don't have to worry that you'll think I'm a weakling if you beat me."

"Oh, I would never think that. I think you're very brave. Do you know what my Auntie told me?" Sarah didn't wait for an answer. She was wound up now. "She says that being brave is being afraid and trying anyway. She says the only failure is the failure to try and do your best. What do you think of that?"

"I think you're aunt is great," he said. "And you are too." He climbed to his feet and held a hand out to help her up.

She took his hand and stood up. "What should we do now?"

He pointed to what looked like the centerpiece of the "Let's Be Friends" area of the park, a series of small purple and blue mountain peaks rising out of the ground. "Let's do THAT."

Sarah Jane followed him till he stopped in front of what looked like a giant game. It seemed to be some sort of board game. She walked up to a sign next to it that said the game was called "Rolling Bouncing Bubble Maze."

She read it out loud. "To play, enter the number of players on the control panel below. Then you must each take turns jumping on a color block. You must follow the directions when the game piece in front of you turns over. Think fast or you'll lose your turn."

She looked at the Doctor. "Want to play?"

"All right," he said, "do we play on the same team? I don't want to play against you."

"I don't mind, besides, it's just us so I suppose we can play just for fun."

"Nah, let's play as team." He pushed a button on the control panel labeled team.

Sarah stood next to him and waited. In a moment two bubbles appeared. The instructions popped up. "Jump in," it said. Sarah picked the purple one and jumped into it. The Doctor jumped into the bluish green one.

"This is exciting. Now what," she called out to him.

"I don't know!" he shouted back.

Soon an instruction popped up in front of them. 'Don't get tagged, but try and bowl over your opponent' it read. Suddenly two androids appeared and began to head toward them.

"OK," he called to her. "Just run towards them and see if you can knock them over." He began to run toward the androids, making his bubble roll faster and faster in their direction.

Sarah Jane watched the Doctor for a moment and started to imitate him, but then realized that a droid was barreling down on her. She quickly rolled away from it as far as she could, turned around and rolled back at it as fast as she could. In less than a minute, she 'bowled' it over. She turned to see where the Doctor was. He was standing in his bubble looking pleased at the downed droid next to him.

"That's it!" he shouted. "Now let's go for it!" He started rolling towards two more androids who had appeared on the other side of the playfield.

In about fifteen minutes the playing field was littered with droids lying on their sides.

"We did it," Sarah shouted with glee. "We beat them!"

"We sure did," the Doctor said, smiling. "You're cool."

"If she's so cool, why don't the two of you play against us," said a boy who was about the Doctor's height but much wider than him. He was standing next to another boy who was about the same size as he was.

"OK," the Doctor said, unconsciously squeezing Sarah Jane's hand. "We will, won't we Sarah Jane."

Sarah Jane looked over at him and gave him a huge confident smile. "You just bet we will, Doctor."

"You're on," said the boys as they stepped up to the start button, pushed it and jumped into their bubbles. One was blue, the other red. "Hope you don't mind, but I set it on a higher level. The one you were playing is for beginners."


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm Hysol by the way," the boy in the blue bubble said to the Doctor as he rolled up beside him. "That's my son Gerg in the other bubble. Which one of you is the parent?"

"I'm the adult," the Doctor said, puffing out his chest. "I'm the Doctor, and this is Sarah Jane. And I'd say we aren't beginners, so that's about right."

"Then you already know that on this level you have to roll, bounce, and avoid the water jets," said Gerg with a smug grin.

"Well, I'd say that'd be obvious, wouldn't it," the Doctor said, never taking his eyes off Hysol.

The four of them jumped into their bubbles, and with four of them now playing, the edges of the game expanded, slowly changing color and texture, new peaks and obstacles growing into place. Within a few moments, dramatic music played and the game started.

This time, rather than two, eight droids appeared, two of them targeting each of the bubble players. Sarah Jane and the Doctor tried the same tactics they'd used in the first round, but quickly found themselves stymied by obstacles on the field. Almost at the same time they figured out how to jump over the obstacles, but that still left them dealing with the water jets that would periodically pop up, spray water, and drop back down.

Sarah Jane and the Doctor managed to hold their own at first. The Doctor managed to knock down one of the droids that was after him and avoid a water jet at the same time, and Sarah Jane almost got one, but she had to jump over an obstacle before she could knock it down. Before long the Doctor had figured out the water-jet pattern, and he zipped around the field, trying to help Sarah Jane by engaging the androids.

Seeing that the Doctor and Sarah Jane were able to handle the field fairly well, Hysol looked over at Gerg and nodded to him. Gerg nodded back and the two of them suddenly changed their tactics, turning towards Sarah Jane. Together, the two of them started blocking her every move and bumping her towards any droid on the field as well as the obstacles and the water jets.

The Doctor quickly realized what was happening; this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment tactic, it was a strategy they'd obviously used before. First occupy the weaker opponent, so that the droids leave him or her alone and go after the stronger player. Then, once Sarah was eliminated, they could join the droids and gang up on him. While it wasn't against the rules, it was definitely poor sportsmanship.

Worried now, he tried to get to Sarah Jane to help her, but every time he turned around, he was blocked by a droid or an obstacle.

In no time at all, poor Sarah was outflanked and outmaneuvered. While there were no droids bothering her, the constant hits from the boys and from seemingly every single obstacle on the course were thinning her bubble every moment, and finally, just as Hysol propelled her quite deliberately toward one of the obstacles, her bubble popped and she hit the ground hard, her knee and the palms of both hands scraping against the rough stone playfield as she broke her fall.

The Doctor saw her go down and pushed straight through the group of droids, moving instead directly towards her. Immediately he was blocked by Hysol and Gerg. "Stop," he said, "she's hurt!"

But they didn't stop; they were too determined to win. "She'll be OK, she's just scraped up a little. Common, let's finish the game, then you can go get her. She can just sit it out for now," said Gerg as he pushed the Doctor nearer to one of the droids.

The Doctor tried once more to get around them, but when they didn't let him by, he furiously launched himself at them, and a few moments later all of their bubbles were history and he was sprinting toward Sarah Jane.

Sarah was holding her knee and crying, and didn't see the Doctor heading towards her.

The Doctor didn't see Gerg and Hysol heading towards them.

And none of them saw the attendant heading straight for all them.

"Hey," shouted Hysol. "You didn't play by the rules." He pulled on the Doctor's suit as he turned him around. He picked his fist up to hit him. "Watch this, kid," he said to Gerg, "this is the way to win a fight."

"Sarah, run!" the Doctor said, keeping his eye on Gerg.

Sarah did run. She ran right up to the Doctor and gave Hysol the hardest kick in the shin she could give him just before his fist reached the Doctor's face. Hysol fell down clutching at his shin and screaming in pain. Sarah didn't see Gerg reaching for her though, and he pushed her down.

The Doctor leapt between Sarah and Gerg, who looked like he was about to slap her. He grabbed him by the shirt. "You lay one hand on her and I swear..."

Before he could finish his sentence the attendant arrived and helped Sarah Jane up. "I saw the whole thing, but you started fighting before I could get here. I was all the way at the other end of the exhibit and I ran all the way," she said, breathing hard. She turned to Hysol and Gerg. "There's someone coming right now who is going to escort you two out off of this area. As for you two," she said, turning to Sarah Jane and the Doctor, "you will come with me right after they leave."

The two of them looked at each other, worried.

"This is not the sort of day we want our birthday girl to have," the attendant said, smiling at Sarah Jane. "So, we're going to fix up those bruises of yours and see if we can't find something special for you to do while you're our guest."

The Doctor let out the breath he'd been holding and smiled at Hysol and Gerg. "No hard feelings," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small packet. "Gum?"

They each took a piece, scowling at him.

"My how polite you are, young man," said the attendant. "You two should learn a lesson from him."

The boys popped the gum in their mouths almost spitefully as the escort came to take them to another section of the planet. They looked back at the Doctor and stuck their tongues out at him.

Both tongues were jet black and so were their teeth.

Sarah saw them and gasped. "Doctor, what happened to them," she whispered as they were led to a big building in the center of the play area.

"I always knew that trick gum would come in handy one day," he chuckled. "I just wasn't sure how. Anyway, it proves one thing. You should never take candy from strangers."


	6. Chapter 6

**URGENT NOTE:** As you may know, the BBC starts shooting the 50th anniversary special this week. If you'd like to see a proper tribute to Sarah Jane in the special, please consider signing the petition at www dot ipetitions dot com / petition/sarah-jane-smith-dr-who-tribute (automatic link removed because we don't want to break any rules) and passing it on to any groups you belong to. If we all pass it on, we can make a difference! Time (ironically) is of the essence! Thanks!

* * *

"It won't make them sick will it?"

"Of course not," he said. "I'd never do that."

Sarah giggled at the thought of them not knowing what they looked like and imagined them walking around the rest of the day like that. "That's really funny," she said, trying not to laugh too loud. Then she started thinking about Gerg and Hysol's behavior. "Doctor, are there people like those two boys everywhere?"

He skipped along behind the attendant, still giggling about black teeth. "What do you mean?"

"The way they treated us. There are people like that at my school too. They pick on people and tease them if they don't like them or if they're different," she put her head down and chewed her bottom lip.

The Doctor thought about all of the bullies he dealt with on a daily basis. "Sometimes people feel like they're doing the right thing because they're defending themselves in one way or another. Sometimes they're doing it to make themselves feel better. And sometimes," he said, squeezing her hand, "they're just boneheads."

"Like Jeremy Eckhart? He's picks on me all the time, but not the way some of the others do," she said in an angry voice.

"What do you mean?" he asked seriously.

"Jeremy teases me about the way I think about things sometimes."

"What about the way you think?" the Doctor said defensively. "I think you think just fine."

"Jeremy says things like there's no Father Christmas, or that wishes never really come true. He says you're not real either, that I just made you up. He says he doesn't believe in anything he can't see."

The Doctor patted his chest. "I feel pretty real," he said. "What about you, do you think I'm real?"

"I know you're real," she said as she took his hand and squeezed it. "I know Father Christmas is real too and that wishes do come true. That's why I don't mind so much about what he says. The other ones though, they're more like those two mean boys."

He let her hold his hand. "Of course wishes come true. You've got to believe that!" he said. "But what about the other ones?"

Her eyes began to well up with tears. "The other ones call me names like 'orphan' and they say mean things, like I don't have a mother or a father."

He put a friendly arm around her shoulder. "You shouldn't pay any attention to them. I mean, you do have a mother and father, they're just not with you anymore. And you have another mother anyway. You may call her Aunt, but what difference does it make what you call somebody if they love you and take care of you?"

Sarah stopped and looked at him. "You're right, I never thought of it that way, but it's true isn't it? I do have a mother and father and auntie does love me and acts like a mum should." She leaned over and hugged him. "You're wonderful Doctor and I love you very much."

He squirmed a little, but he let her hug him. "And besides, you've got plenty of people who care about you. Like me, for instance. It's probably more than those boneheads have."

"And are there boneheads **everywhere**?" she asked him.

He sighed, then rolled his eyes, thinking about what he dealt with, day in and day out. "There sure are. But there's great stuff, too. Oh, Sarah," he said, now skipping ahead of her. "you have to see it, the universe is just brilliant. It's worth a few boneheads."

"Come along children, we're running late as it is," called the attendant.

"Yes ma'am," answered Sarah Jane as she caught up with the Doctor, took his hand once more and skipped together with him as they followed the attendant.

The attendant walked into the office with the Doctor and Sarah Jane behind her. "Here she is, a bit scratched up, but I'll think she'll be just fine."

"Thanks," said a beautiful fish woman. "Would you please step this way, your highness," she said to Sarah Jane. "You too," she motioned to the Doctor.

They followed her into the next room and waited to see what was going to happen next. "First we'll tend to your injuries, then we'll get you and your escort prepared. We'll have to hurry, we haven't much time." She got out a first aid kit and cleaned Sarah's hands and her knee. "Does that knee hurt very much dear?"

Sarah Jane shook her head no.

"I'm so glad to hear that. I'm very sorry you were treated that way. People don't usually behave that way here. This is a place to come to be happy, not to fight." She turned to the Doctor. "Are you hurt at all young man?"

"I've had much worse," the Doctor said, rubbing his face. "You just take care of Sarah Jane."

The woman smiled as she went and got a cold pack out of a drawer of the desk next to where she was taking care of Sarah. "My, but you're very brave," she said. "Does he always come to your rescue, your highness?"

"Oh yes, said Sarah. "Once he saved me when some bad men kidnapped me."

"My but you're fortunate to have such a handsome protector." She handed the cold pack to the Doctor and smiled at him. "Your lady is fine now. Would you be kind enough to let me offer the hero of the day something to soothe his wound?"

Sarah giggled at the way the woman talked to the Doctor. She liked being called his lady and the idea of him being her handsome protector.

The Doctor sat down next to Sarah and swung his legs back and forth, deciding to put the cold pack on his face. After all, it did hurt. "Thank you," he said.

"Now then, Princess Sarah Jane, shall we prepare you and the Prince to greet your public?"

Sarah's eyes lit up. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she really liked the sound of it. "Yes please," she said.

The woman went to a closet and pulled out several items. "I think these should fit. Let's try them on, shall we?"

She wrapped a fur trimmed velvet robe around Sarah Jane and put a crown on her head with a pink veil attached to it. "My, don't you look beautiful. Don't you think she does," she asked, turning to the Doctor.

Sarah Jane's eyes were sparkling as she turned to look at the Doctor, waiting to see what he thought of her new attire.

The Doctor smiled. "I think she looks great," he said. He'd planned the day, and even he hadn't expected this much.

Sarah beamed at him.

"Now then Prince... I'm sorry, I don't know your name," she said to the Doctor. "Could you tell me what it is, please," asked the attendant.

"You can just call me Doctor," he said.

"Right then, Prince Doctor, here are your royal robes. Would you put them on, please?"

"Wow," he said, and put on the robes she gave him. "Look Sarah Jane, I've got robes!"

"Of course you do," said Sarah Jane. "You're a Prince, aren't you? Haven't I always said that you're my Prince?"

"Yes, you have," he said. He turned back to the attendant proudly. "I'm her prince," he said.

The woman curtsied to him. "Would you and Princess Sarah Jane please follow me? You are both the guests of honor in today's parade."

Sarah Jane gasped loudly. "Oh, how wonderful," she exclaimed.

"Parades are cool," the Doctor said. "Do we get to ride in a float and everything?"

"Yes you do, in fact, you get to be at the very head of the parade. Now if you'll just come with me, the parade is waiting for us so it can get started."

The woman led the Doctor and Sarah Jane to the front of the parade area. "Here's our royalty, take extra special care of them."

"Will do," answered a tall fish man as he winked at her. He bowed down in front of Sarah Jane deeply, then again to the Doctor. "Are you two ready to start the parade?"

Sarah Jane was almost shaking she was so excited. "Yes we are," she said.

"Well then your highnesses, would you both kindly step up into the seat of your shell coach?"

Sarah looked over to where he was pointing. There in front of her, less than a foot away, was a beautiful shell coach with a velvet cushion inside of it. The coach was on four huge wheels made of some sort of round shells with starfish for spokes. Leading the coach was a team of eight silver, turquoise and pink sea horse-like creatures. "Oh Doctor, look," she said, climbing up into the coach with the attendant's help. "It's beautiful," she said to him as he settled her into the seat with the Doctor by his side.

"Remember to smile pretty and wave," said the tall man. "You only need to hold these, the team knows the route," he said, bowing to them as he handed the reins to the Doctor and stepped away.

The Doctor smiled at Sarah. "Ready?"

Sarah Jane nodded, smiling so much she could barely contain herself. "This is just the way I dream things are. You made my dreams come true Doctor. I love you so."

The Doctor blushed. "Oh come on, I didn't do anything. It's **your** birthday."

"You brought me here and you made today possible. I'm going to remember this forever" She gave him a hug and a kiss on his cheek.

He gently pushed her away the way only a little boy pushing away a little girl could. "Stop it," he said, blushing even more, "people are watching."


	7. Chapter 7

Sarah laughed at him. "You know the prince always gets married to the princess when he grows up. That means you really are going to marry me one day."

The Doctor was about to say something about girl cooties when suddenly an unseen voice called out from the loudspeakers all over the area. "Welcome to the Oceania Sea World Parade," it said. "Today we have the beautiful Princess Sarah Jane leading our parade with her handsome escort, Prince Doctor. Please give them a warm Oceania Sea World welcome, everyone."

Crowds clapped and cheered as the parade started, and Sarah Jane waved as she went by. She was sure that this moment was the highlight of her entire life. Every girl wanted to be a princess, but now she really was one. She didn't even have to pretend, this was really happening to her. She looked over at the Doctor. He was waving happily with one hand and holding the reins in the other. He did look handsome, and he was her prince. She wanted to smother him with kisses, but she knew he was a boy now, and boys didn't like that sort of thing. For now she was content with just being with him.

The Doctor, for his part, was swept up in all of this. How magical was this, that he was leading a parade, guiding noble sea-steeds and looking over an adoring populace? The Time Lords were always such a haughty bunch, but as a child he'd always felt more a victim of that mentality than an inheritor of it. He'd never had this kind of heady adulation before, and he was loving every minute of it. If only he had a sword too, this would be perfect. Well, except for Sarah Jane getting all mushy on him. He definitely could do without that. But he really liked protecting her, that was fun.

When the parade was over they posed for a picture and then they gave back their robes and crowns. They were thanked for leading the parade and they thanked the park attendants in return. Along with the thanks they received a copy of the picture and a video crystal of themselves in the parade to keep as souvenirs.

Their gifts in tow, they melted into the crowd. The Doctor spotted a vendor cart selling slushy drinks with aquatic shapes bobbing in fishbowl like containers, and they ate them as they sat on the curb watching the parade, gathering thrown candy and trinkets just like all of the other children along the parade route. Floats of sea creatures great and small floated by in gravity-controlled bubbles of water, and an acrobatic team even stopped right in front of them, a pair of mermaid-like beings leaping high above the bubble and diving back into it.

"Oh Doctor," said Sarah Jane as the last of the floats finally passed them by. "I'm never going to forget today as long as I live."

He smiled back at her and held her hand, swinging it back and forth shyly. "Me neither." He pulled the map out of his pocket. "What should we do now?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Let's look at the map and see where we haven't gone to yet."

"Well," he said, "I think we've seen everything here, and I don't think I want to play that game again. Why don't we go back to the main park and see what we can find?" Still holding her hand, he led her back to the glass elevator.

The elevator began to rise, and too late, the Doctor realized that he was changing back into an adult. By the time they reached the top, he was his old pin-stripe suited self. He thought he should be mourning his lost boyhood a bit more, but he found that he was just grateful to have had it, even if just for a little while.

Sarah had been looking out of the glass, fascinated at the view and the way it got larger as they rose to the top. "Look Doctor, it's so lovely," she exclaimed. A very surprised Sarah Jane turned to look at him. "Oh, you're not a little boy anymore," she said sadly.

"Just on the outside," he said. "On the inside, I'll always be the same age as you."

With that they headed off to find another attraction. On the way the Doctor and Sarah Jane found a row of snack and souvenir shops. "Oh, a little shop," the Doctor said. "I love a little shop." They stopped to have a few treats and the Doctor bought Sarah a stuffed sea horse-like creature that she fell immediately in love with the moment she saw it.

"This reminds me of the sea horses that pulled our coach in the parade," she said, hugging it close. "I wish today would never end," Sarah sighed. "I can't remember when I've had such a good time."

"Well," the Doctor said, buying a snow globe for himself, "it certainly beats your last birthday."

Sarah shivered at the thought of her last birthday. "That was the worst birthday I ever had."

"And now this one is the best," he smiled, lifting her up. "So it all works out."

"Yes it does," she said, nodding her head in agreement. She took a bite of some of the candy they had bought. "Oooh, it tastes like spun strawberry sugar and butter. It's lovely, try it." Sarah offered him some.

"Mmmm," he said, putting some of the gooey stuff in his mouth. He could see that she was getting tired. "Let's go somewhere quiet and eat," he said. Looking around, he found an unmarked door. It was locked, but a quick blast from the sonic was enough to take care of that problem. "Now," he said, sitting down next to her, "what do you want for your birthday?"

Her eyes grew wide. "You mean, there's more than this? I can't imagine what could be better than this day. Well, unless it would never end. I'd love for us to be like this always."

"Maybe when you grow up it will be," he said. "Besides, if it never ended, we wouldn't ever get home to you birthday party. And your Aunt's got it all planned and everything."

"That's right, I forgot Auntie is having a party for me too." She looked up at him smiling. "You will be there won't you?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," he said. He saw her yawning and realized that she was going to be exhausted when he brought her home. "Why don't you take a little nap so you'll be awake for it?"

"Alright," she said and crawled up into his lap. She snuggled against him and kissed his cheek. "Sweet dreams," she said as she put her head on his shoulder.

"Sweet dreams," he said, putting an arm around her. He watched her as she dropped off to sleep almost immediately, breathing softly. What was it about her that tugged at his heart so much? It was impossible to say. But her unyielding trust in him was something that he marveled at. Not once during all of this had she ever questioned him; she trusted him completely, and that felt amazing. She was just a child, true, but the love she had for him was pure, and he treasured it above all things. Before long he, too, was asleep.

It took him a few moments to realize what it was that woke him up. The water pouring in around them was warm - or at least warm enough that it matched his body temperature - and inky black, and by the time he was fully awake it was up to his waist. "Sarah, wake up," he said, shaking her slightly. "We need to get out of here."

"Doctor," she said still groggy. "Are we on a ride? You have your swimsuit on again?"

"No," he said, climbing to his feet still holding her, "they must be flooding the room for maintenance. Come on." With only the emergency lights, high towards the ceiling, still lit, the cavernous room was almost dark, but he made his way back toward the door, trying not to fall over anything that was in the water, now up past his knees.

Unfortunately, he was a bit disoriented in the dark, and the door wasn't where he thought it was. 'Remain calm,' he told himself. 'It's not that big a room. Just find a wall and work your way around it.' But as the water started to reach waist level, he began to wonder. 'I can't swim, Sarah can't swim, and I bring us both to a water park. What is wrong with me?'

By the time he found the door, the water was up to his chest - and well beyond the door latch. He pushed on it, knowing it was futile. This was a water door; a hatch, of sorts, designed to keep water out of the guest areas. He pulled out the sonic and tried blasting the latch, but it was no use; with the water level this high, it was designed not to be overridden for any reason.

Sarah climbed up on his shoulders to keep from being in over her head. She wasn't worried, her prince was going to save her, he always did. "Now I'm wet and I have my swim dress on again," she said, smiling at him.

"That's great," he said, realizing that her swim dress was designed for her to float. Now if he could just get them out of there before the room flooded completely - or he, unable to float with any flotation device short of a boat, drowned - everything would be fine. The water up to his chin, he pounded on the door, trying to get someone's attention. "Sarah," he said, tilting his head back to keep his mouth out of the water so he could talk, "just keep your head above the water, all right?"

"Alright," she said, still unaware of any danger. "Does your magic let you breathe in the water?"

"For a little while, thankfully," he said, which was fortunate, because that was when the water level reached his cheekbones, and he was thankful for the respiratory bypass system that would let him stay underwater for several minutes, recycling oxygen that was already in his tissues. He banged on the door harder, but he heard nothing from the other side, and the muffled sound, along with the thickness of the door he'd remembered from when they'd first snuck into the room, told him that the likeliness of someone hearing them was somewhere close to zero.

He had to find another solution.

As the water reached the top of his head, he could feel Sarah Jane standing on his shoulders, and with one hand he held onto her foot to help steady her while trying to adjust the sonic to cut through the door with the other. He wasn't sure what he was going to accomplish - even under the best of situations the sonic was painfully slow as a cutting torch - but he couldn't think of anything else.

He felt Sarah's ankle wrenched from his hand and he panicked, reaching up and trying to find her. Had the room filled up completely, blocking off her oxygen? Had she fallen off? Tried to swim? He tried to find her in the inky blackness, frantically reaching out for her.

Interminable moments passed, and he could feel his oxygen reserve dropping, unable to replenish itself from surrounding air. The world began to spin and he kicked frantically at the door, finally tilting backwards in a slow motion fall as the water buoyed him just enough to keep him from hitting hard as he lost consciousness.


	8. Chapter 8

When the water first started rising, Sarah Jane had laughed and splashed, but gradually she started to realize that the Doctor wasn't having a good time. In fact, he was beginning to look more and more concerned. She wondered what was wrong with him. After all, they'd been playing in the water all day, and it had been lots of fun.

He looked like he was starting to get scared, but she knew that wasn't possible. He said his magic let him breathe in the water and, besides, he was her prince, he could and would save her from anything. But then suddenly the water was over his head and she couldn't hear him anymore.

She jumped off his shoulders so she could at least see that he was fine, but the water was so dark, she couldn't see him at all.

She waited a few minutes and nothing happened.

Now she was getting scared. How long could he breathe the water, and what was taking him so long to fix things?

She realized that if the water didn't stop soon it would be go up to the ceiling, and she didn't have any magic that would let her breathe once it was over her head.

Gradually, she understood that she might have to save herself **and** her prince. She looked all around carefully until she knew what she needed to do, and she did it.

After what seemed to be forever, the water emptied and she saw the Doctor lying on the floor of the room. She rushed to him and started to cry. He felt cold, and he wasn't moving. She hugged him and called out to him, but he didn't respond. She didn't know what to do but to call out louder.

"Doctor, Doctor," said Sarah Jane, shouting and crying over him as she held his head in her lap. "Please wake up. Please be alright, please," she shook him by the shoulders as she cried. "I need you to be alright, please don't leave me."

The Doctor heard her through a haze, then suddenly realized what was happening and jerked upwards, taking a deep breath and coughing inky water all over both of them. "Sarah!" He grabbed her and hugged her to him, remembering at the last moment not to crush her with his enthusiasm and relief. "You're all right!"

"I was always alright, but I was scared for you. I thought... I thought... that you were gone, like, like..." She started sobbing in his arms, her fears and memories finally getting the best of her.

"No, no. It's all right. I'm fine," he said, holding her close, and breathing hard, not sure whether it was to replenish his oxygen supply or simple relief that Sarah Jane hadn't drowned. "I'm just fine. I was worried about you! I thought …" He looked over and the door was still closed. "What happened to the water?"

"I let it out," she said. "When I was afraid for you."

"You let it out?" he asked. "How did you let it out?"

"I can read, remember," she said, pointing to a bright red and white sign near the top of the wall, where only the native aquatic people in a room full of water - or floating little girls - were likely to see it, right next to a lever.

Clear as a bell, it read, "IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, PULL TO RELEASE WATER".

The Doctor laughed, and laughed, and laughed. He hugged her, and laughed some more, both from irony and relief. Finally, exhausted, he leaned back on his elbows.

Sarah Jane leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed. Her prince was alright and he didn't leave her. "I should have known you would always be there for me. Promise me you'll never ever go away and leave me."

He hugged her again. "I promise you," he said, "I will never leave you. It might take me a little while to come back, but I swear that I will never abandon you. And this time," he said encouragingly, "you were there for me!"

Sarah looked up at him and smiled. "I was, wasn't I? Does that mean I saved you?"

"That you did," he said. "That you did." Somewhere in the back of his head he remembered the tally he and the adult Sarah Jane used to have, competing over who saved whom more often. He wondered if this counted. He hugged her again, then climbed to his feet. "Come on, let's get out of here before we get into any more trouble."

"I agree, let's go," Sarah said, relieved, as she took his hand and stood up, then paused. "Is Suzanna alright?

"Suzanna?" he asked. "Who's Suzanna?"

"My stuffed seahorse. You put her in your pocket so I wouldn't lose her, remember?"

He reached into his pocket, relieved that Suzanna wasn't another person who may have drowned, and pulled out the stuffed animal, which wasn't even wet. "There you go, a new friend for Elisabeth the Owly," he said.

Sarah took her seahorse and hugged her tight. "Won't they love having tea parties together?" Sarah looked up at the Doctor. "Does this mean I can take her back to Aunt Lavinia's with me?"

He took another look at Suzanna. She looked "normal" enough. "Yes, you can. And speaking of which, I think I've had quite enough adventure for one day, what do you say we go back and get some birthday cake?"

"That's a wonderful idea. I think we've gotten wet enough for today too, do you?" Her eyes twinkled mischievously at him.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head at her sense of humor. 'Some things never change,' he thought to himself. "And everything else, thank you," he said, pulling out the sonic and finally opened the door.

Once they were safely in the TARDIS the Doctor set the controls to take them back to South Croyden.

Sarah Jane stood next to the Doctor, watching him. "When I grow up, will you show me how wonderful the whole universe really is, without the boneheads in it?"

He looked back at her. "I'm afraid, my dear Sarah Jane" he said, "that there's no such thing as a bonehead-free universe. Besides, the boneheads make you appreciate the good things."

"There must be just one place without them, couldn't we go there for a while?"


	9. Chapter 9

The Doctor looked at her and thought about how she'd have to deal with the troubles of life soon enough; why rush it? Besides, he didn't want the day to end any more than she did. "Why not?" he said, pulling a lever on the console to stop them from arriving in South Croydon. Then he stared at the console, his brow furrowed. "But where, that's the question," he muttered.

He needed to take her somewhere totally safe. Somewhere nothing bad could happen, where no one would be mean to her, or to anybody else.

"Only one solution," he said, holding out a hand to her.

She took his hand and smiled. "What's that?"

He started walking away from the door. "We go to the one place where there are absolutely no boneheads. You, my dear, should pick a room to be yours when you're here."

Sarah Jane's eyes grew large and her mouth dropped open. "A room of my own? For real?"

"For real," he said, smiling at her enthusiasm. Of course, she already HAD a room in the TARDIS, but that hadn't happened for her yet. He chuckled to himself, remembering how she had picked a room deep in the bowels of the TARDIS, but that over first couple of years the TARDIS had gradually moved it closer and closer to his bedroom until they were next door to each other. "Ready?"

"Oh yes, you just bet I'm ready," Sarah Jane exclaimed. She held her arms up to him to be picked up.

He picked her up and set her on his shoulders. "All right, tell me where you want to go. You can pick a room, and then we'll go shopping to decorate it."

Sarah Jane looked around, "there's just so many doors, are they all empty rooms?"

"No, they're not all empty, but you can look around and pick one that you like and if it's available, it's yours." He set her down gently. "Go, explore to your heart's content till you find the one special room that you can call your own."

Sarah Jane ran from door to door, opening one after another, poking her head in and surveying each one and giving the Doctor her opinion of it. "This one is a funny color, I don't like it," she shook her head and ran to the next door. "This one is too small, I can't play in it." The next room had a ceiling that she thought was too tall, another was too cold. "I feel like Goldilocks," she said turning to him. "I haven't seen one room yet that's just right. How many rooms do you have?"

"No idea," he said. "The TARDIS is so big inside that even I haven't seen all of it. Come on this way," he said, "I think you'll find something you like." He led her down a long corridor and around several curves.

Sarah started searching through the rooms again. The first two didn't appeal to her, but when she saw the third room, she let out a happy yelp. "This is it, this is my room. Oh Doctor, it's beautiful, I love it. Can I really have it?"

He smiled. Of course. He patted the TARDIS affectionately at the timey-wimeyness, then crouched down to her level. "Yes, Sarah Jane, you may have it."

She ran into the room and spun around in it with her hands outstretched. "This is a room that a princess would live in. Look at the pink roses on the wall paper and the green and gold painted trim. What can we put in it?" she asked as he walked slowly into the room.

"Anything you want," he said. "Ready to go shopping?"

"Yes, where are we going, Secaro? They have lots of wonderful things there."

"They do, but they also have the occasional bonehead, and I promised you no boneheads today. So we'll do the next best thing. Do you remember the boot cupboard?"

"I think so," she nodded. "It's the one with all the pretty clothes in it, Right?"

"That's right. It also has lots of other things." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Ooh, like what," she grinned at him and wiggled her eyebrows too, only in Sarah's case, she ended up wiggling her eyebrows and blinking.

"You'll just have to see," he said, laughing as he led her back to the boot cupboard and opened the door. "Try the trunks," he said. "And there's an odd trap door here and there." He pulled up a section of floor.

"Are they full of pirate treasure? I hope there's something that a princess could use in them," she said, straining to look into the chest the Doctor was opening.

"Well, there aren't any pirates involved, but I'm sure there's treasure." He reached down and started pulling out boxes and bags and blankets. Must be the "B" chest, he thought. "What kinds of things do you want in your room?"

"Can I have anything at all I want? Aunt says it's rude to ask for too much of something." She looked up at him sweetly crossing her fingers behind her back.

The Doctor was tall enough that he could see her crossing her fingers. "This is one place where you can have absolutely anything it is within my power to give you."

The pair of them spent the next few hours together while Sarah Jane picked out furniture and accessories for her new room. When she was done, the Doctor took her back and helped her decorate. The "Princess" room, as Sarah called it, had a bed, a dresser, lights, throw rugs, and a toy chest.

Along with the toys that the Doctor had gotten her on Sacaro, there was also a huge collection of alien odds and ends that struck Sarah's fancy, both rare and ordinary. A Ronderian spoon served as the center of a mobile the Doctor had made for her out of trinkets and such; a Pabberli hairclip was balanced by a crystal so rare that had anyone from the worlds of the Unddara sector known he had it they'd have ended millennia of wars amongst themselves to unite in order to get it back. But to Sarah they were all just _objects d'art_, worthy of her attention merely because they were "pretty".

She was hugging her Doctor doll as she surveyed the results of their work. "It's perfect. I bet even a real princess doesn't have a room this lovely. Thank you Doctor," she said as she gave him a big hug.

"You're welcome," he said, hugging her back. She was so happy, it almost broke his hearts. He sat on the daybed they'd added and sat her on his lap. "Listen, I just want you to remember, no matter where you are, this place, this safe place, where you can play and be yourself, and not worry about anything, this place will always be here for you, waiting. Even if you're far away and can't be here. Can you remember that for me?"

She nodded and put her head on his shoulder. "I always remember everything we do and say when we're together. Then when I'm sad I think about you and them and I feel better."

He hugged her again and didn't say anything for a moment. What was there left to say, really? Finally, he picked her up. "All right then, I think it's time for that birthday party of yours, how about you?"

Sarah Jane was sitting on the Doctor's shoulders once more when he rang the doorbell at Lavinia Smith's house.

Lavinia opened the door, smiling at them. "Ah, I see our two adventurers are home at last, and just in time." She looked up at Sarah Jane. "My, how you've grown since the morning. Are you ready to have your party now, my big tall birthday girl?"

"I didn't grow at all Aunt. The Doctor grew. He grew a new head and it's me. He's a two headed monster now. Grrrr," she giggled as she held her hands up as if in attack.


	10. Chapter 10

The Doctor chuckled and ducked so he could get inside without Sarah Jane hitting her head on the doorway. "Hello, Lavinia," he said. "I trust we weren't gone too long."

"No, not at all, but I do hope at least one of your heads wants some cake and ice cream, Doctor," Lavinia said as she headed into the dining room.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure that won't be a problem," he said, setting Sarah down and sitting down heavily in one of the dining room chairs. "Well, second head," he asked her, "cake and ice cream?"

"Yes," she said, smiling at him. "May we have some cake and ice cream now, Aunt?"

"No," answered Lavinia firmly.

Sarah's mouth dropped open. She looked over at the Doctor and waited to see what he would say.

The Doctor simply raised an eyebrow. "Is everything... all right?"

"Yes, but you both really should know that you never get cake and ice cream on your birthday until someone sings to you." She flipped off the lights and a neighbor appeared carrying a cake with seven lit candles on it. Walking in behind her were eight children who all looked about Sarah Jane's age. Everyone started singing happy birthday.

Sarah smiled and took the Doctor's hand and squeezed it. "I know what I'm going to wish for now," she whispered to him.

"What?" he whispered back.

"A velvet cape like the one I wore in the parade. It will match the crown you got me last year and I can wear it to tea parties and be a princess when I do."

It amazed him how single-minded a seven year old could be. "All right," he said, "you wish for that. Just remember that sometimes wishes take some time to come true."

She nodded and then waited for everyone to finish singing.

When they were done, her aunt came and stood next to her. "Make a wish now my dear."

Sarah Jane looked over at the Doctor and winked at him before she leaned over and blew out all the candles.

"Well now, you blew them all out Sarah Jane, that means you're going to get your wish," Lavinia said. "Now then let's cut this cake shall we?" she said, reaching for her cake knife and handing it to the Doctor. "You get to cut the first piece," she said. "I'm sure the Doctor would love to assist you."

Sarah put her hand over the Doctor's and together they cut a piece that had her name on it with a big red rose on the edge. As Lavinia helped her get it on a plate she turned to the Doctor. "The first piece is yours, my prince."

The Doctor smiled, nodding differentially. "Thank you, your highness."

She beamed at his words and bowed her head to him. "You are most welcome, Prince Doctor."

Lavina finished cutting up the cake and adding ice cream to the plates as she handed them to Sarah who in turn passed them out to her guests as she thanked them for coming.

"So," said a boy to Sarah Jane as he looked over at the Doctor. "This is your 'prince'? He doesn't look like such a very big deal to me and he's pretty old too."

"Well, he's a very big deal to me and he's ever so much nicer than you are, Jeremy Eckhart. He's polite too, not at all like you." Sarah scowled at the boy.

"Now wait a minute," the Doctor said, "you're Jeremy Eckhart? The one who said..." He looked around conspiratorially, then whispered in the boy's ear. "... that there's no Father Christmas?"

"Yes I did," said the boy defiantly to the Doctor. "There's no Easter Bunny either for that matter. Want to make something of it," he asked, challenging what he saw as his competition.

"No, I just wanted to let you know that you're sinking your own ship, mate." Once again he whispered in the boy's ear. "Girls like a boy with a little imagination." It wasn't that he was trying to put Sarah Jane together with Jeremy; he knew that wasn't going to happen, but at least he could try and keep Jeremy from tormenting her for the next few years.

The boy looked up at the Doctor in surprise. He wondered why he was offering to help him. He quickly decided it was a trap. He turned to Sarah Jane. "You're a big sissy and so's your old prince." Then he looked over at the girl next to him at the table. "Gosh you're pretty, Elloise. I think you're the prettiest girl here," he said loudly enough for both Sarah Jane and the Doctor to hear.

Elloise just blushed and giggled at him.

"Oh that Icky Eckhart," Sarah Jane said, using his school nickname. "He's just so rude. I apologize for him, Doctor. Never mind him, he's just being a bonehead."

The Doctor tried not to laugh too hard at her taking cues from what he'd told her. "As you say." He finished his cake. "You enjoy your friends, I'm going to go and talk with your Aunt Lavinia for a little while."

"Alright, but please promise you won't leave without saying goodbye, will you?"

"I promise," he said, then ducked into the kitchen, and out the door. Nobody noticed when, a few moments later, he came down the stairs and sat with Lavinia and the adults on the sofa. "Nice party," he said.

"Thank you," said Lavinia. She proceeded to introduce the Doctor to her friends. "This is the Doctor, that lovely young man I told you about. He's the one who found Sarah Jane the day I lost my dear brother and his wife. He's also the one that rescued her last year when she got kidnapped."

The Doctor found himself surrounded by admiring women, all around their late thirties and early forties. They fussed over him and waited on him till the party started to break up.

Sarah joined her aunt and the Doctor as they all three said goodbye and thank you to everyone as they left. When the last person had gone, Sarah Jane took one of the Doctor's hands in hers and with her other hand she took one of Lavinia's. "What a special day this has been, Auntie. Thank you for the party. Thank you too Doctor," she smiled sleepily at him.

"You're welcome, Sarah Jane." He knew she'd be going off to bed soon, and another day with her would be over. He didn't know which of them would be sadder at the prospect.

"I'm afraid it's time for our little princess to go to bed. Say goodnight to the Doctor, my sweet," Lavinia said.

"Can you both tuck me in, please," Sarah asked sadly, knowing that when he said goodbye she wouldn't see her prince for another year.

"If it's alright with the Doctor, it's alright with me," Lavinia answered her.

"Of course it's alright," he said.

"Right then, but first you need to go put your jim jams on and brush your teeth, young lady. Then we'll tuck you in, now scoot," Lavinia said giving her a gentle nudge.

"Yes, aunt," Sarah said, heading up the steps.

"While she's getting ready can I offer you a cup of tea, Doctor? There's still some left, fresh and warm in the pot."

"Certainly, thank you," he said. "Always nice to take a cup of tea with you, Lavinia."

"Yes," she said as she headed into the dining room with the Doctor close behind her. "It always makes me happy to have you here visiting us. I wonder if you realize just how very much you mean to Sarah Jane. I know she'd have been devastated if you hadn't shown up today. I dare say the whole party would have been spoiled for her." She poured out a cup of tea for the Doctor and then herself. She put a plate of scones next to him, then looked at over at him. "You know of course that I trust you with her life."

"I should think so, I can't imagine you letting a perfect stranger take her out for the day," he said, sipping his tea.

"Well of course I wouldn't. Don't be ridiculous, Doctor. The question is however, can I trust you with her emotions?" She sipped her tea and waited for his response.


	11. Chapter 11

The Doctor paled slightly at her question. "Pardon?"

"I'm quite sure you heard me correctly, Doctor," said Lavinia, smiling inwardly at his discomfort. "Can you be trusted to deal with Sarah Jane's feelings?"

"I would never ... I ... " He knew that she meant Sarah Jane as a little girl, but he also couldn't ignore what he knew that no-one else did. He was going to hurt her, even though he didn't mean to. "I wouldn't ever hurt her if I could possibly avoid it."

"Sometimes even when you love someone you can't avoid hurting them. Have you given any thought to how you would handle things if and when you do cause her pain?"

"I ... suppose I'll have to apologize and ask for forgiveness," he said. "And try to make that necessary as little as possible." He thought about how obsessed with him Sarah Jane seemed to be. That had a potential to end badly for her. "She is quite ... involved."

"I know I don't have to tell you what an exceptional child Sarah Jane is, but are you aware of the effects losing her parents at such a tender age has had on her? She felt abandoned when Eddie and Barbara died. She obviously adores you and she's placed all her faith and trust in you now. That's a lot of pressure and responsibility to take on, I shudder to think of what it would do to her if you let her down."

The Doctor thought about the look on Sarah Jane's face at Deffry Vale; he knew what it would do to her. But wasn't this his chance to try and fix things? He smiled gently. "Lavinia, please believe me when I tell you that I love that child more dearly than I could ever tell you. As much as you, I should imagine. I would do absolutely anything for her."

"I was fairly certain that was the case. One would have to be blind and heartless not to notice the affection you shower on her. May I be blunt and ask you why?"

He'd been afraid she'd ask this eventually. He thought for a moment, and sighed. "She's the personification of everything good I've ever known, and all that is right in the universe."

"That's quite a lot to see in a child, but I think I'm beginning to understand. Tell me though, if you would, how can she have come to mean so much to you in such a short time? You've only seen her four times in two years."

"Well, you have to admit, with the exception of Christmas, the other visits haven't exactly been uneventful," he said.

"That's true," she chuckled. "Still, it's obvious that something very powerful is going on between you two. As I said I trust you, but I am curious."

He sighed. He could tell that there wasn't any way that he was going to get out of this conversation without some kind of explanation. He decided to take the direct approach. "You got me, Lavinia, I'm really a time traveler and Sarah Jane grows up to be very important to me," he smiled, waiting.

She looked at him for a moment, the wheels turning. After an almost uncomfortably long pause, she laughed. "I'm almost inclined to believe that, Doctor. In fact, I'm even willing to admit that in your case, it could be true. There is something very different and otherworldly about you. I think I'd like to let it go at that." She heard Sarah Jane coming down the steps. "Actually, I'm quite sure I don't want to know any more at this very moment."

"I'm ready for bed now," Sarah said, jumping into the Doctor's lap.

"Well, good," he said, "because it's bed time." He winked at Lavinia. "Shall we go, ladies?"

"Yes Doctor," Lavinia said. "Lead on and we shall follow you."

He picked up Sarah and carried her upstairs, setting her down at the doorway. "Go get in bed," he said, and stepped into the bedroom with Lavinia.

She pulled back the covers under them was a bright pink box with a silver bow on it. Her seahorse was in the bed too, lying next to her stuffed owl.

She flew at the Doctor and flung her arms around him. "I love you so much. You're simply wonderful." She smothered his cheeks with kisses. "You really are the best prince ever."

"Oh my," said Lavinia. "And she hasn't even opened the box yet."

"Yes, I hope it's not a disappointment," he said.

She stopped kissing him. "What is it?"

"You'll have to open it, silly," he said.

She jumped down and ran to the present. She opened it carefully, but as she did, she did a funny little dance. "I'm opening it silly," she said.

He groaned and lifted her up over his head as though he were King Kong, still roaring in mock rage as she giggled. Finally, he put her down so she could finish opening the package.

"I'm going to save this pretty bow and Aunt and I can make a book cover with this paper too," she said with a smile. She slowly opened the box, peeked inside and screamed with excitement. She looked at the Doctor with utter devotion. She was so thrilled, she couldn't speak.

"Good heavens," said Lavinia. "What in heaven's name could get you that excited Sarah Jane?" She turned to the Doctor. "What did you get her?"

"Well put it on," the Doctor said with mock impatience. "Show your aunt what you've got."

Sarah took the top off of the box and lifted the velvet cape up with reverence. She put it on and walked over to her aunt. "Look, it's just like the one I wore in the..." she stopped suddenly and put her hand over her mouth. She looked over at the Doctor nervously, hoping he could fix her mistake.

"Just like you wore in the parade," the Doctor said, as though everything were normal. "We went to an amusement park, and Sarah Jane the birthday girl got to lead the parade, isn't that right?"

"Yes it is." She turned back to her aunt, smiling with relief. "It was wonderful Auntie, we had the best time. Look at my lovely cape. Do you like it? It will go very nicely with the crown the Doctor got me last year." She twirled around for her.

"You look truly beautiful my dear," she said. As Sarah Jane ran to get her crown, Lavinia turned to the Doctor. "I wonder what you're going to give her on her birthday next year, Doctor. Gowns fit for a princess, a kingdom perhaps, subjects? Or, maybe she already has all that. Maybe when she leaves here to go with you, you take her to a land far far away where she's Princess Sarah Jane. A place where one day she'll be the queen. Is that what happens while you're gone?" Lavinia smiled crookedly at the Doctor.

"Something like that," he said, smiling just as crookedly back at her. "After all, every little girl deserves to be a princess."

Sarah Jane was too busy with her cape and crown to notice the exchange. She stood in front of her dresser, turning and posing in front of the mirror. After a few minutes she yawned, hung up the cape, put the crown on her dresser and got into bed, waiting to be tucked in.

"Doctor," said Lavinia, waving towards Sarah Jane. "After all, royalty comes first."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head, then tucked her in. "Good night, Sarah Jane," he said. "You have a wonderful year, and I'll see you on your next birthday."

Sarah gave him a big hug and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight Doctor. I'll miss you very, very much. If I promise to be as good as I can be, can you come back for Christmas too? It won't be much fun for us without you." She looked at him with pleading eyes.

The Doctor thought about it. One more opportunity to spend time with her. He turned to Lavinia. "What do you think?"

"You know you're always welcome here Doctor, no matter what time of the year it is, our door is open to you. It was grand fun last year, so yes, add my invitation to Sarah Jane's, please do come for Christmas."

"Right. Then I will be here for Christmas," he said, tucking her in one more time. "Good night."

"Good night my prince, thank you for Christmas."

Lavinia put her hand in her pocket. "Oh good heavens Sarah Jane, I almost forgot. You have one more gift. It's from Mrs. Meadows up the street. She sent it because she couldn't make it to your party today. Here, open it before you go to sleep." She handed Sarah Jane an envelope.

Sarah sat up and opened it. The card inside was very sweet, but something fell out when she opened it. She looked down and picked it up. It was a one year certificate of membership for two to the local recreation center pool. Sarah held it up to give to Lavinia. "Look," she said.

"Oh how very nice of her. It's a pool pass for two to the indoor pool two blocks from here. Bring your swimsuit next time you come Doctor. You can take Sarah Jane swimming."

Sarah Jane looked over at the Doctor and burst into giggles.

The Doctor laughed with her. "I'm afraid you'd better take her, Lavinia. I don't swim."

Lavinia looked at the two of them and shrugged. "You two and your plots. Goodnight my dear Sarah Jane. Sweet dreams. I love you."

"I love you too Auntie. Goodnight Doctor. See you at Christmas. Try not to get wet while you're gone. I love you." Sarah waved at him and smiled wistfully.

"I love you too," he said, kissed her on the forehead, and skipped back to the TARDIS.

When he got inside, he pulled out the picture of the two of them in the parade, smiled at it, and set the coordinates on the control panel as he wondered what kind of gifts he should get Sarah Jane and Lavinia.

"Christmas, 1958 awaits,' he thought.


End file.
